French Bistro Cedric is Newest Hot Eatery on Harlem’s Scene

The jerk chicken with potatoes and salad and Cedric French Bistro in Harlem. (DNAinfo/Jeff Mays)

HARLEM — Cedric Lecendre was reluctant to lend his name to the small French bistro that he opened on St. Nicholas Avenue with co-owner Fabrizio Khanlari and managing partner Dard Coaxum last month.

“It’s a bit of pressure. It’s my name on the door,” Lecendre said of his first ownership effort. But he comes from the restaurant business — his family owns Le Bilboquet on the Upper East Side.

The three friends decided that having Lecendre’s name adorn the restaurant was necessary to create the type of casual neighborhood eatery that was their ultimate goal.

“I’m a believer in the personal touch. Our guests come in and ask for Cedric,” said Khanlari, who has operated restaurants in London and whose Harlem eatery is taking part in DNAinfo’s Uptown Restaurant Month.

An East Harlem school was robbed of nearly $27,000 worth of technology over the weekend, and parents said Monday that were struggling to explain the situation to their children despite an ongoing police investigation.

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